The present invention relates to a recording and playback apparatus having not only functions to record and play back audio and video information, but also expanded functions such as the Graphical User Interface (GUI) to display windows or icons by means of software and move animation. More specifically, the invention relates to a recording and playback apparatus which is configured so that a user can individually set up the above-stated expanded functions by means of software.
In recent years, optical disks represented by, as we say, DVDs have been widely prevalent. High-quality audio and video information can be recorded on those optical disks, and further, quality of such high-quality audio and video information will hardly be deteriorated even if they are stored for a long period of time. As a result, recording and playback apparatuses (including DVD players and DVD recorders, for example) which enable easy recording and playback of high-quality audio and video information at home have been rapidly disseminated.
In particular, recording and playback apparatuses have become sophisticated and the broadband environment has been rapidly developed in recent years, and, for example, new services for home page browsing by connecting such recording and playback apparatuses to networks, or downloading of contents such as movies and games are being proposed.
In addition, other than the above, it is expected that equipment which describes functions and operating procedures for users by displaying icons, animations, windows, etc. on a display through enhanced GUI functions will be continuously on the increase in the future.
When such functions is realized, what will become effective is the execution environment of general-purpose software as is represented by JAVA™. The reason for this is that the use of such software execution environment eliminates the need for developing software for respective equipment, and the software once developed is executable in any equipment.
In this connection, the use of such software execution environment enables to expand the GUI functions even with consumer AV equipment. In addition, connection to the Internet or to other network equipment becomes easy.
Such functions, however, are not inherent in AV equipment, but they are a kind of expanded functions. Such expanded functions are very convenient for users and offer an effect of doubling their comfort. On the other hand, many users feel uneasy when faced with complicated screen operations due to excessive GUI functions and slow screen display of such functions. Further, the network connection will cause a problem of increased risk of virus infection. In particular, virus infection through networks has become a widespread issue, and technologies to prevent virus infection have been proposed (Refer to Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 8-328846, for example).
Furthermore, AV equipment in recent years continues to feature more and more versatile functions. However, some of the functions are not necessary for users and some are inadequate since they are used for crimes, and technologies which set the functions to be restricted have been proposed (Refer to Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 10-304195, for example).
In the future, for consumer AV equipment including recording and playback apparatuses, not only sophisticated and versatile functions, but also technologies to enhance usability and security will be demanded.
Conventionally, such consumer AV equipment as DVD players have been demanded for their easy functionality, for example, like TVs and VCRs, by a wide generation of people ranging from elderly people to children without exerting special knowledge or skills.
On the other hand, in recent years, AV equipment has become more sophisticated. As a result, they are capable of not only offering conventional functions for recording or playback of audio and video information, but also linking with other network equipment, browsing WEB pages or downloading contents via networks, for example.
However, only some of the users can master such sophisticated functions and frequently many people feel operations are difficult or they recognize such functions as unnecessary ones. In this connection, AV equipment is devised so as to give clear and detailed explanation on operations and functions to those who have no special knowledge about the equipment, by skillfully utilizing GUI functions including animations and windows.
However, such devices may sometimes make GUI functions more complicated, which makes some of the users feel cumbersome and complicated, or the processing time of GUI functions forces users to wait for the process to complete, thus frustrating the users.
In addition, as compared to PCs in which various security measures are taken assuming their connection to networks, AV equipment is not provided with adequate security measures in terms of network connections. Further, AV equipment users have poor information on networks and poorly aware of the risk of computer virus infection. As a result, it is expected that there will be a greater risk of computer virus infection, thus causing social problems.